


Lie Awake and Pretend

by SherlockianSyndromes



Series: Sherlock Drabbles [3]
Category: Sherlock (TV)
Genre: Drabble, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-05
Updated: 2019-06-05
Packaged: 2020-04-08 08:12:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 315
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19103191
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SherlockianSyndromes/pseuds/SherlockianSyndromes
Summary: One Thousand and One Nights: Have one character tell a story to another.“You know, I can pinpoint the exact second that I knew I loved you.”





	Lie Awake and Pretend

“You know, I can pinpoint the exact second that I knew I loved you.”  
  
Sherlock whispered into the darkness, gazing at the faint outline of John Watson’s body, expanding upward and sinking downward with slow, steady breaths in and out.  
  
“Just moments before I was sure we were both going to die. Surrounded by snipers. And I wanted to blow us all up, just to get rid of him.”  
  
Sherlock shifted onto his back and stared up at the ceiling, his eyes picking out distorted shapes but not really  _seeing_  anything. Instead, he imagined red dots buzzing upon his body and the smell of chlorinated pool water.  
  
“And you knew. You knew when I looked at you that that’s what I wanted to do. And you  _nodded_ , John. You told me it was okay.”  
  
Sherlock squeezed his eyes shut and took a deep breath, trying to fight back against the sudden wave of sentimentality taking over him.  
  
“And I knew if I was going to die, I wanted it to be there, with you. It felt right. It felt like love...is that love, John?”  
  
“Yes.”  
  
Sherlock’s body twitched suddenly at the sound of John’s voice.  
  
“J-John? You’re awake?”  
  
John turned over and threw his arm over Sherlock’s chest. “Mmm. Couldn’t miss your late night love confession.”  
  
Sherlock huffed but said nothing.  
  
“Oh, c’mon.” John kissed Sherlock on the cheek and nuzzled at his chin gently. “Don’t pout. I like to hear a good love story now and then.”  
  
“That one does end rather anti-climatically,” Sherlock muttered.  
  
“If you leave out the part where we came back to the flat and snogged like mad, then sure. Now go to sleep.”  
  
They laid together in silence for a few beats.  
  
“Sherlock?”  
  
“Mmm?”  
  
“When I killed that man. That’s when I knew.”  
  
Sherlock said nothing, only kissed John’s forehead and held him as they both fell asleep.

**Author's Note:**

> Written for Watson's Woes JWP 2018.


End file.
